Collecting mechanism for rod shaped articles



April 1, 1 D. w. MOLINS ET AL ,4 8,365

COLLECTING MECHANISM FOR ROD SHAPED ARTICLES Filed May 15, 1941 SSheetS-ShGet l April 1, 194?. D. W. MOLINS- EIAL 2,418,365

COLLECTING MECHANISM FOR ROD SHAPED ARTICLES Filed May 13; 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fimeniar April '1, 1947.

D. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,418,365

COLLECTING MECHANiSM FOR ROD SHAPED ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 13, 1941 fizvenfor Auk m .9fm

Patented Apr. 1, 1947 COLLEQTIN G MECHANISM FOR ROD SHAPED ARTICLES Desmond Walter Molins and Felix Frederic Ruau, Deptfcrd, London S. E. 8, England, assignors to Molins Machine Company, Limited, Deptford, London, England Application May 13, 1941, Serial No. 393,299 In Great Britain May 18, 1940 6 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors and more particularly to devices of this class comprising collecting mechanism for rod-shaped articles, for example, cigarettes.

The present application covers collecting mechanism such as described in the copending application Serial No. 393,298, filed May 13, 1941, and which has matured as United States Patent No. 2,351,693, granted to D. W. Molins, F. F. Ruau, and S. R. Chown on June 20, 1944.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved collecting mechanism for articles of the type described. More particularly it is an object to provide collecting mechanism for cigarettes or the like which comprises, in combination, a conveyor which includes a longitudinally movable member and a series of receptacles or pockets detachably secured thereto and adapted to be moved in close succession in a predetermined path (for example, a closed path) past a filling station where it receives the articles. The collecting mechanism includes means permitting limited relative movement of the receptacles along the line ofdirection of movement of the conveyor.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention also contemplates the provision of means accommodating flexible lifting strips within each receptacle whereby the strips may be passed around the bundle of articles deposited in the receptacles, and the articles removed and transported by said strips. Means are further provided for enabling the adjacent receptacles to closely abut each other at the upper portions thereof so that there shall be no space between the receptacles at the tops when they are being filled, but at the same time provision is made for the ends of the lifting strips laid along the bottoms of the receptacles to dangle freely below them and to be spaced apart so as not to interfere with each other, and so as to be readily seized by the operator when the bundles are to be removed from the receptacles.

Further, according to the present invention, means are provided for stopping the driving means for the conveyor in the absence of articles being delivered to the receptacles. A further feature is the provision of means actuated by each receptacle as it passes a predetermined point to speed up theoperation of the conveyor as the abutting end margins of the receptacles pass the receiving point.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

Figure l is a vertical sectional view showing a form of receptacle in which cigarettes are collected.

Figure 2 is a plan of mechanism for collecting cigarettes.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure .2, parts. of the apparatus being broken awayin order to show other parts more clearly.

Figure 4 is an end elevation to an enlarged scale, the upper mechanism being omitted from the figure.

Referring to the drawings, cigarettes which, are severed from a continuous cigarette rod formed on a cigarette-making machine (not. shown) of the continuous rod type, are moved transversely out of the rod line and are deposited upon acatcher band 4. The catcher band moves the cigarettes transversely of their longitudinal axes and cigarettes roll off the catcher band at the delivery end thereof. At the delivery end, the catcher band passes around a roller 5 which is supported for rotation in frames 6 supported on a base ii. For simplicity the frames 6 are shown broken away. Cigarettes falling from the catcher band, engage a downwardly depending pivoted flap i which, when engaged by the cigarettes, moves about its pivot 8 away from the catcher band. A counterweight 9 is provided to balance the flap 1.

Around a rotatable support It having a fixed axis of rotation, there is arranged a plurality of paddles H which comprise cigarette-distributors. The pivoted flap 1 is slotted as indicated by the reference numeral 12, seeliigure 2, so as to permit the cigarette-engaging surfaces of the paddles H and thefiap 1 respectively to intersect one another when the flap 7 is moved towards the paddles by cigarettes being delivered from the delivery end of the band 4.

Receptacles or conveyor pockets E into which the cigarettes are to be delivered are supportedfor movement in a closed path, in which the re-- ceptacle'spass beneath the band l as can be seen from Figure 2. The conveyor mechanism comprises two chains Id and 15 which are arranged one above the other, the chains passing around sprocket wheels 56 and H and being guided during the straight portions of their runs by the guides M and G5. The sprocket wheels ll are connected to each other by a hub it which is mounted for rotation about the spindle 19. The spindle. i9 is supported in a bearing 20. The sprocket wheels 16 are connected by a hub ill 22, the spindle 22 being supported in a bearing 23.

Rotation of the sprocket wheels It and i1 is effected by a ratchet wheel 25 which is connected with the lower sprocket wheel 16. The

ratchet wheel 24 is rotated by two ratchet pawls 25 and 26 which are eccentrically mounted on a spindle 21 the latter being driven by an electric motor 2!. The pawls 25 and 26 are urged inwardly towards the teeth of the ratchet wheel by springs 28 and 29. The ratchet Wheel drive is of conventional form and not new.

The rotatable support I is also driven from the spindle 21, the drive for the support being effected through a worm 39 mounted on the spindle 21, a wormwheel 31 mounted on a stud 32, a V pulley 33 also mounted on the stud 32, a further V pulley 34 (see Figure 2) mounted on the spindle 35 of the rotatable support I6 and a belt 36 which connects the pulleys 33 and 34.

The receptacles R, are arranged to be carried in supports which are in turn carried by the chains l4 and 15. These supports comprise the U shaped straps 31, the short horizontal arms of which are secured to the chains 14 and as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. Spaced horizontal bars 38 and 39 are secured to the straps 31"and extend longitudinally of the conveyor adjacent each receptacle. At or adjacent to the ends of the bars 33 and 39 are the J shaped members 40 and 4l,-the longer arms of these members being attached to the bars 38 and 39 and the hook portion extending downwardly beneath the receptacle and upwardly for a short distance upon theother side thereof, this arrangement being clearly illustrated in Figure 4.

The receptacles R themselves are of the general configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings having preferably imperforate side walls RI, bottom wall R2, and slotted or split end walls R3, the space between the resulting wall portions being indicated by the numeral I00.

In-Figures 1, 2, and 3, it is clearly apparent that the end walls R3 are positioned beyond the ends of the bottom wall R2, the extreme lower portions of the end walls being inclined inwardly and downwardly toward the ends of the bottom wall asindicated at llll. From one aspect, it might be considered that the vertical portion R3 comprise the whole extent of the end walls and that inclined portions Ilil might be considered as upwardly sloping portions of the ends of the bottom wall R2, but the earlier presented description lends itself better to facility of claiming, and however the terminology of the claims relating to this feature, it is understood that notching of the bottom walls comes within the purview of the invention so far as this phase of it is concerned.

To each of the pockets or receptacles there are secured stop elements 42 and 43 which are adapted to respectively abut the outer edges of the J-shaped members 41 and 40 and thus limit the relative movement of the receptacle on the supports, and thus provide a lost motion connection of definiteamplitude, the purpose of which will be later described.

. At the bottom of each pocket or receptacle there is provided a flexible strip S. The strip lies along the bottom of the receptacle and the opposite ends of the strip extend downwardly as shown in the drawings. The cut away or notched sloping portion ID! of the receptacles provides means for preventing the strips S of adjacent receptacles from fouling. If desired, a plurality of flexible strips may be contained in a receptacle, the strips being superimposed one upon the other as indicated in Figure 1. The strips are preferably of paper or textile material and when the cigarettes are delivered into the receptacle they are delivered onto the uppermost strip at the bottom of the receptacle. The purpose of making the receptacle movable to a limited extent relatively to the conveyor mechanism is to permit the opposite ends of the uppermost strip to be gripped and drawn about the cigarettes in the receptacle to enable the cigarettes to be removed from the receptacle after the latter has been filled, without thenecessity of effecting the complete removal of a receptacle from the conveyor-mechanism. By providing a plurality of strips the operator is relieved of having to place a strip in position whenever a receptacle is emptied. As an alternative, however, the strips S may be omitted from the installation and the pockets or receptacles can, if desired, be lifted bodily out of the J shaped members 40 and ll and either emptied and replaced or the removed, filled receptacles can be replaced by other empty receptacles. Worn or damaged pockets may be replaced by new ones in the same way.

While the receptacles are moving along the straight portions of the run of the conveyor, the receptacles are, as can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, in endwise abutting relationship with each other and the rear stops l3 engage the J shaped members Ad (see Figure 3) In order to support the weight of the receptacles during and after filling thereof, the bars 39 support vertical bars; at the lower end of each of which there is mounted a roller Q1. The rollers 41 engage the base 48 on which the collecting apparatus is mounted. T0 the bottom of each receptacle there may be secured, either directly or through the intermediary of A the supporting frames comprising the elements 38, 39, 49, 4| and 46, a roller 49 which engages with a track 50 while the receptacle is being moved around the sprockets i6 and 11, the track serving to guide the receptacles around this portion of the path. The ends of the strips slide over the base 48 and movement of the receptacles causes them to trail on th base 48. The space between the roller 49 and the base 48 prevents the strips fouling the roller As can be seen from Figures 2 and 4, the slotslflil in the end walls Ri of the receptacles permit the passage of the receptacles past a downwardly inclined guide 52 which is secured to a bracket 53 supported by the frames 6 and directs cigarettes into the receptacle which is being filled. The slotted ends of the receptacles therefore comprise spaced elements which are so shaped as to project outwardly. The word outwardly when used in connection with the spaced elements in the claims, means in an endwise direction from the base of the receptacle which supports the strips.

A detector-device is provided to stop the electrical motor driving the collecting-mechanism should the supply of cigarettes on the band 4 cease. This detector-device comprises a flap 51 which is pivoted at 58 and counterbalanced by a weight 59, the flap being moved upwardly away To the spindle 58 there is connected a mercury,

,5 switch 66 and this switch controls the electrical motor.

A pair of guides 61 having upturned ends 62 comprise a leveller-device which is disposed above the receptacle being filled.

Side guides E3 are provided to prevent undue endwise movement of the cigarettes during their movement from the band 4 into a receptacle, and fit over strip 538 on the receptacles to keep the latter accurately aligned.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. The receptacles to be filled are positioned in endw'ise abutting relationship as shown in Figures 2 and 3 by sliding them till the stops 43 engage the J-shaped member 49 and the lower end of the inclined guide 52 is located near to the bottom front corner of the leading receptacle. The front wall of the receptacle and the guide 52 form a substantially V shaped space for the reception of cigarettes from the band 4. It is preferable, particularly when filling deep receptacles to arrange for this V shaped space to be manually filled before the automatic filling commences. It is, however, to be understood that thi is only necessary when the operation of the apparatus is first commenced, because once the first receptacle has beenfilled, provided that the succeeding receptacles all app-roach the filling position in endwise abutting relationship, the filling of the successive receptacles will be continuous while the supply of cigarettes is maintained. The lengthwise movement of the receptacles by the conveyor is correlated with the rate at which cigarettes are normally delivered by the band t so that the volume of cigarettes arriving equals :in space the volume of receptacle space passing theguide 52.

Starting from the point at which the V shaped space is manually filled, the chains l4 and it move the receptacles slowly and intermittently forward (to the left in Figure 3) and cigarettes fall from the delivery end of the band 4 towards the receptacle being filled. Some of the cigarettes fall directly between the free ends of the paddles i I and the band 4 towards the inclined guide 52. some of the cigarettes coming as they do in a mass move against the pivoted flap 1 and urge th latter towards the paddles H so that the cigarette engaging surfaces of the pivoted flap and the paddles intersect each other.

As the receptacle moves forwardly the cigarettes have a tendency, particularlywhen the receptacles are relatively deep receptacles, to move downwardly away from the leading end of the receptacle so that a dip is formed in the upper level of the cigarettes in the receptacle. The paddles H operate to tend to maintain the level of the cigarettes in the receptacle, pressing downwardly on the cigarettes in the vicinity of the upper end of the inclined guide 52 and moving them away from the guide and bodily towards the leading end of the receptacle. The guides 61 co-operate with the paddles in this levelling operation by limiting the extent of upward movement of the cigarettes so moved by the paddles. In Figures 2 and 3, the guides 6| are shown as fixed guides.

As the rear wall of a receptacle which is being filled approaches the inclined guide 52, the latter passes through the slot lfili formed in the rear wall of the receptacle and into the slot formed in the front wall of the next succeeding receptacle. Thus, as the receptacle moves away from the filling position, the second receptacle receives cigarettes. There is, of course, a period when the first and second receptacles are simultaneously receiving cigarettes. During the transi- 3 tion from the first to the second receptacle, the paddles tend to prevent the accumulation of cigarettes on the upper edges of the receptacles. If

desired, however, the chains l4 and I5 may be.

driven by a variable speed mechanism which automatically increases the speed at which the receptacles are moved during the change of feeding from the first to the second receptacle. For example as described below, the electric motor driving the conveyor may be controlled by a rheostat which is in turn controlled by a feeler arranged to engage an element carried by the receptacle to alter the rheostat when a receptacle edge is passing a predetermined position.

Current from one terminal of the mains 200 goes through the mercury switch 60 and then to the motor 2t! and to a resistance 2032 and a switch arm 201i back to the mains. Normally (i. e. during filling of the middle portion of a receptacle) the switch arm 283 is at the left or chain line position. When the receptacles reach a position when the feeding changes from one conveyor to another, a plate or camfiil l fixed to the outer side of each receptacle strikes a spring controlled lever 265 fixed to theswitch arm sea The resistance 2.02 is arranged as a rheostat over Which-a contact on the switch arm moves to reduce the resistance as the switch moves in an anticlockwise direction.

The length of the plate 204 will be such as to limit the period during which the motor is speeded up to that desired in any particular case. Thus, as the switch arm is moved from left to right along the resistance, so the speed of the motor 252! is increased. As can be seen from the drawing, the-motor 2%! drives the spindle 21 by a belt tilt which passes over pulleys 2B7, 268,

In the position of the receptacles shown in Figure 3, the cam 294 is shown rather too far forward on the receptacles, but it has been shown in this position in order to illustrate the action of the cam on the lever arm Zilii. Obviously in practice, this cam would be placed at a position where it would be effective at the desired time for the purpose in view. A stop 289 is provided to limit the extent of movement of the switch arm 2% and lever arm 205 under the influence of a coil tension spring 2 l B.

If it is desired to increase the speed of the motor more rapidly than by the apparatus shown, this can be achieved by reducing the length of the lever 2 515. Preferably the speed to which the motor is increased is twice that of the speed at which it is operated when driving the mechanism for normal running.

When a receptacle has been filled, it is carried around the sprocket It to the opposite run of the chains l4, l5, that is the side shown in the lower part of FigureZ. The receptacle can then be shifted manually rearwardly away from the receptacle immediately ahead, This affords sufficient space between adjacent receptacles for the opposite ends of the uppermost strip S to be then lifted upwardly through the slots We and towards each other about the cigarettes in the receptacle and the cigarettes may then .be lifted out of the receptacle by the strip. The rearward -movement of the receptacle is limited by the stop 42 engaging the leading J shaped member ii. After the articles have been removed from the receptacle, the latter is again moved forwardly manually into abutting relationship with the preceding receptacle.

In all cases where flexible strips are arranged at the bottom of a receptacle and where the ends of the strips hang downwardly, the receptacles must be so arranged that sufiicient space isv left between the bottom of succeeding receptacles to provide room for the strips and yet ensure that the top portions of succeeding receptacles abut so as to prevent cigarettes falling between the two receptacles.

It will, however, be appreciated that the use of flexible strips in conjunction with receptacles is not limited to constructions in which receptacles are moved in continuous, closed paths.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collecting and bundling apparatus for rod shaped articles or the like, which includes a stationary article discharging device; the combination of a conveyor for receiving articles from said discharge device and transporting them in successive groups to a point of removal, and driving means for said conveyor; said conveyor comprising an endless member movable in a fixed path defined by its own configuration, means operatively connecting said member to said driving means, means for guiding said member past a filling station defined by said article discharging device, a plurality of pocket elements carried by said endless movable member, a lost motion connection between each of said pocket elements and said endless movable member permitting a limited degree of relative movement therebetween, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantity of said articlesas it passes beneath said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle; a detector means disposed adjacent said filling station and operatively connected with the conveyor driving mechanismto increase the speed of the conveyor during the time that the feed is changing from one of said pockets to the next succeeding one, and separate tripping means carried by each of said pocket elements individually for contacting and actuating said detector means at such times.

2. In a collecting and bundling apparatus for rod shaped articles or the like, which includes a stationary article discharging device; the combination of a conveyor'for receiving articles from said discharge device and transporting them in successive groups to a point of removal, and driving means for said conveyor; said conveyor comprising an endless member movable in a fixed path defined by its own configuration, means operatively connecting said member to said driving means, means for guiding said member past a station defined by said article discharging device, a plurality of pocket elements carried by said endless movable member, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantity of said articles as it passes beneath said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle; the convleyordriving means including an electric motor controlled by a rheostat, detector means disposed adjacent said article discharging device andcomprising a feeler extending adjacent the path of the successive pocket elements of the conveyor, a tripping element carried by each of said pockets and adapted to actuate said feeler to adjust said rheostat when said pocket passes a predetermined position, whereby the speed of the conveyor will be increased during said discharge device and transporting them-in successive groups to a point of removal, and driving means for said conveyor; said conveyor comprising an endless member movable in a fixed path defined by its own configuration, means operatively connecting said member to said driving means, means for guiding said member past a station defined by said article discharging device, a plurality of pocket elements carried by said endless movable member, a lost motion connection between each of said pocket elements and said endless movable member permitting a limited degree of relative movement therebetween, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantity of said articles as it passes beneath said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle; means for detecting the presence of articles at said discharge device and connections between said detector means and said conveyor driving means for stop-v ping the latter when no articles are presented at said discharging device; a detector means disposed adjacent said filling station and opera tively connected with the conveyor driving mechanism to increase the speed of the conveyor during the time that the-feed is changing from one of said pockets to the next succeeding one, and separate tripping means carriedby each of said pocket elements individually for contacting and actuating said last named detector means at such times.

4. In a collecting and bundling apparatus for rod-shaped articles or the like which includes a stationary article discharging device; the combination of a conveyor for receiving articles from said discharge device and transporting them in successive groups to a point of removal, and driving means for said conveyor; said conveyor comprising an endless member movable in a fixed closed path defined by its own configuration, means operatively connecting said member to said driving means, means for guiding said member past and beneath said article discharging device; said conveyor further comprising a plurality of open top pocket elements carried by said endless member throughout said closed path with the open tops uppermost at all times, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantityof said articles as it passes beneath said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle; said pocket elements each comprising a bottom wall, vertically centrally bifurcated fore and aft end walls, one or more removable superposed flexible article lifting and binding strips extending longitudinally of said pocket, lying upon said bottom wall, and having their end portions extending through the bifurcated end walls and dangling from said pocket elements, mutually engageable abutment portions on each of said pocket elements and the adjacent parts of the endless conveyor member, said abut- V a limited distance longitudinally from each other to afiord space for the removal of the bundle of articles by means of the bundle lifting strips.

5. In a collecting and bundling apparatus for rod-shapedarticles or the like which includes a stationary article discharging device; the combination of a conveyor for receiving articles from said discharge device and transporting them in successive groups to a point of removal, and drive ing means for said conveyor; said conveyor comprising an endless member movable in a fixed closed path defined by its own configuration, said path lying in an approximately horizontal plane, means operatively connecting said member to said driving means, means for guiding said member past and beneath said article discharging device; said conveyor further comprising a plurality of pocket elements carried by said endless member throughout said closed path, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantity of said articles as it passes beneath-said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle; said pocket elements each comprising a bottom wall, fore and aft end walls, the end portions of each pocket element, including the end wall, being bifurcated, and one or more removable superposed flexible article lifting and binding strips lying longitudinally u on said pocket upon said bottom wall and having their end portions extending through the bifurcated end portions of the pocket elements and dangling therefrom; the bifurcation extending endwise into the pocket element sufiiciently far so that at least the upper portions of said end walls of adjacent pocket elements may abut for filling purposes. while the dangling ends of the lifting strips will not interfere with the close abutting relation of the Docket elements.

6. In a collecting and bundling apparatus for rod-shaped articles or the like which includes a stationary article discharging device; the combination of a conveyor for receiving articles from said discharge device and transporting them in successive groups to a point of removal, and drivendless member throughout said closed path,

with the open tops uppermost at all times, each of said pocket elements adapted to receive a quantity of said articles as it passes beneath said discharging device, said articles adapted to comprise a bundle: said pocket elements each comprising a bottom wall, fore and aft end walls,

the end portions of each pocket element, including the end wall, being bifurcated, and one or more removable superposed flexible article lifting and binding strips lying longitudinally of said pocket upon said bottom wall and having their end portions extending through the bifurcated end portions of the pocket elements and dangling therefrom; the bifurcation extending endwise into the pocket element sufiiciently far so that at least the upper portions of said end walls of adjacent pocket elements may abut for filling purposes, while the dangling ends of the lifting strips will not interfere with the close abutting relation of the pocket elements; mutually engageable abutment portions on each of said pocket elements and the adjacent parts of the endless conveyor member, said abutment portions being so constructed and spaced as to provide a definite amount of lost motion, whereby said pocket elements may be in close juxtaposition when being successively filled at said discharge device and may be displaced for a limited distance longitudinally from each other to afiord space for the removal of the bundle of articles by means of the bundle lifting strips,

DESMOND WALTER MOLINS.

FELIX FREDERIC RUAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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